“No reason to stop you, Stealer Girl,” said Asa, using her baseball nickname from primary school. The last fingers of light glowed from the sunset, fading into a deep cobalt blue. Asa stretched luxuriously. “May I interest you in a hot fudge sundae?” “I’d love one, but I believe the drug store is closed.” “I happen to have a set of keys.” She giggled. “In that case, I would love a sundae.” They walked arm and arm down the dock, but when they got to shore, Nell said, “Oh, Asa, we forgot your blanket.” Using a strong, powerful gait, he strode down to the end of the dock. With some amusement, she studied him as he walked back toward her, wondering how Asa never looked like he belonged in his clothes. The starched shirt under his jacket
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They turned and walked a few doors down to Davis’ Drug Store. Asa took out his keys and unlocked the door, and they both slipped in. After the salty sea air, the familiar dusty hints of menthol, licorice and sulfur greeted them. With a confident step, Asa flicked on the lights, and flung his boater across the room where it landed on the ice cream counter. Although he tried to tame his curls into waves with hair oil, the high humidity made them pop out all over his head. She was filled with pride as she watched Asa’s eyes sweep over his drug store domains. The walls were covered with wooden shelves from floor to ceiling, and filled with over-the-counter remedies such as Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound, and Dr. Miles Restorative Blood Purifier. At the back of the store was the dispensary with rows of glass and ceramic jars holding chemicals for his compounds. At that counter, Asa worked confidently during the day, mixing modern medicines from formula cards, and rolling remedy pills. But her mind wasn’t on healing as they crossed the shop to his a state-of-the-art soda fountain where the medicinal smells merged into tantalizing chocolate and butterscotch aromas. She climbed onto one of the tall chairs that lined the white marble counter, while Asa slipped behind ice cream coolers. Asa set out two sundae dishes and dropped two scoops of vanilla, topping them with hot fudge, nuts, and a cherry. When they were complete, he walked around to Nell’s stool and placed her dish on the counter in front of
They turned and walked a few doors down to Davis’ Drug Store. Asa took out his keys and unlocked the door, and they both slipped in. After the salty sea air, the familiar dusty hints of menthol, licorice and sulfur greeted them. With a confident step, Asa flicked on the lights, and flung his boater across the room where it landed on the ice cream counter. Although he tried to tame his curls into waves with hair oil, the high humidity made them pop out all over his head. She was filled with pride as she watched Asa’s eyes sweep over his drug store domains. The walls were covered with wooden shelves from floor to ceiling, and filled with over-the-counter remedies such as Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound, and Dr. Miles Restorative Blood Purifier. At the back of the store was the dispensary with rows of glass and ceramic jars holding chemicals for his compounds. At that counter, Asa worked confidently during the day, mixing modern medicines from formula cards, and rolling remedy pills. But her mind wasn’t on healing as they crossed the shop to his a state-of-the-art soda fountain where the medicinal smells merged into tantalizing chocolate and butterscotch aromas. She climbed onto one of the tall chairs that lined the white marble counter, while Asa slipped behind ice cream coolers. Asa set out two sundae dishes and dropped two scoops of vanilla, topping them with hot fudge, nuts, and a cherry. When they were complete, he walked around to Nell’s stool and placed her dish on the counter in front of